Haunted by the Past
by TropicalBlend
Summary: 10 years after high school, Gabriella has come face to face with her past. How will what happened before affect what decisions she makes now? Read and find out. Rating for adult content and mature subject matter. ON HIATUS.
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note: I do not own High School Musical or any of the associated characters. I do, however, own the plot.**  
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_Prologue: Gabriella's POV_

Troy and I had dated all through high school, ever since I had transferred to East High; however, it had started to go south at the end of our senior year. We went from spending as much time together as possible to seeing each other maybe once a week outside of the classes we had together. Instead of trying to get as much phone time in as possible and talking about whatever popped to mind, we started discussing school assignments and only talking for a few minutes, if we talked at all.

I could feel him slipping away from me; pulling away emotionally, even if he was there physically. To try and make up for it, I found myself clinging tighter; I just couldn't help myself, even though I hated myself for doing it. I did not want to be one of those clingy girlfriends! But we had shared so much and I depended on him to be there for me. I became more emotional and it drove him even further away. I loved him and as much as he said he loved me, I suddenly found myself doubting it. I guess it didn't help that he had stopped saying it, stating "it was understood." I needed the words damn it!

Anyway, we tried to make it work when we both went off to university. We looked at going to the same school, but the universities where he got offered basketball scholarships weren't well known for the program I wanted. We both knew that we couldn't compromise on school choice to be together, after all this was our entire future. We couldn't base that on someone else; no matter how much we loved each other.

So Troy went off to University of Wisconsin to take business and I went to Princeton in New Jersey to take Engineering. I suppose I could have gone to U of W and taken the same degree but I wanted Princeton; I wanted that old name school on the East Coast. Besides, I had the feeling that if I went to U of W and Troy and I split up, I'd regret my decision for the rest of my life. So I headed east, and everything started to fall apart.

At first it seemed like we could make it work. We called each other every night and talked over the internet. But then Troy started complaining about how tired he was from all the practicing and weight-room stuff he had to do for basketball along with school stuff. And to be honest, I started getting bogged down in work and with the choir I had joined. So we stopped talking as much. I still loved Troy, and I think he still loved me, but our lives got in the way. It didn't help that I started noticing other guys. I would never have cheated on Troy, but the attraction was there. And I'm sure Troy spent a good portion of his time checking out girls. Going to a new place certainly opened up possibilities.

As a last ditch effort, I hoped on a flight one weekend and flew to Wisconsin, hoping that seeing each other again would spark things up again. But instead, we both realized that we had drifted away from each other. It was tearful, and painful, but in the end we both knew it was for the best. At least that's what I told myself. We promised to be friends and to keep in touch. Troy even mentioned something like "maybe we'll end up getting back together at some point." I know how it sounds, but I knew we'd be friends. Even if it wasn't the same kind of friends we were before.

That Christmas we got together to catch up, not that we hadn't talked over the term but it's different in person. And we ended up doing the one thing we hadn't done in high school. Troy and I slept together. Sometimes I wonder why we never did it high school, it's not like we didn't love each other or didn't have the opportunity. I guess we were just afraid (terrified!) of the consequences and didn't feel ready for it. But after we broke up, I just couldn't help feeling that my first time should have been with Troy. It wasn't what I'd dreamed of; actually, I cried afterwards knowing the circumstances between the two of us. But looking back now, I know that I wouldn't have been able to get on with my life without having taken that step with Troy.

We kept in touch, chatting about simple things two or three times a month over instant messenger. We both knew when the other person was dating someone else, I don't know if it hurt Troy to think of me with someone else, but sometimes I would ache over the thought of him and another girl. No matter how over him I told myself I was. The only time it wasn't too bad was when I had a boyfriend. And boy did I have boyfriends. I went through them like no other. It wasn't that I didn't want a long term guy, I just couldn't hold onto them. Sometimes they broke up with me and sometimes I broke up with them, almost always amicably though. I ended my second longest relationship (next to the one with Troy) because I thought the guy was too nice; well, that and I was due to go home at Christmas and wanted to be free so Troy and I could hook up. How awful is that? It became a sort of tradition between the two of us, to get together whenever we were home and have sex. And then the summer after my last year, my mom got transferred again, to New York. It was nice to have her closer to me, but it meant that Albuquerque was no longer home. Troy and I wouldn't run into each other any more. And in a way I was glad, I knew what we were doing wasn't healthy. I couldn't fully let him go until I cut him out of my life. He was the only boyfriend I could get out of my system, no matter how hard I tried.

Now it's been just over 10 years since we graduated high school. I am working for a consulting firm based in New York doing operation engineering. I missed the high school reunion because I was supervising a project overseas. Probably a good thing since they wanted me to sing one of our old songs and my voice is quite rusty from lack of use. I haven't talked to Troy or any of the rest of the old gang in awhile. The girls and I had talked quite frequently when I first went to university; and we all got together over the first Christmas break and caught up. But after I decided to stay in New Jersey to work for that first summer, the emails slowed down. We still caught up each Christmas until my mom moved, and then I guess we just stopped writing altogether. When there is little chance that you will see each other in the near future, I guess the ambition to take the time to write emails or make phone calls just leaves. Even Troy and I stopped talking. I have no idea where he is now and that is for the best. It's much harder to imagine what he is doing that way.

Over the last year or two, I have sworn off men. I decided to focus on my career, and don't really want to get involved with anyone just for the sake of having a boyfriend. I've done that enough in the past; time to move on. I want the next guy to be something special, someone I can see myself with in 20 years. But right now, it's all about the job.

At least, I thought it was …


	2. Chapter 1

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The knocking shook my out of my daydream. I looked up to see my assistant Cheryl standing in the doorway.

"Here's your morning caffeine fix." She walked towards me and placed a tall cup of coffee on my desk. "Mr. Harris called and wanted to talk to you about plant ergonomics. I told him you would call him back as soon as you could."

"Thanks, I haven't had a chance to look over that file yet."

"Oh, and the boss wants to see you asap."

I let out a soft groan and reached for the coffee.

My boss, Bob March, is a wonderful old man of about 75, who just didn't want to retire; he loved his job. Most of the time I enjoyed working for him; but two things about him drive me absolutely crazy. First off, he has this annoying tendency to call me Gabi. All the time! It's one thing if a close friend does it once in awhile, but a totally different thing for someone I work with to do it all the time. It makes me feel unprofessional. Damn it, it makes me about 10 years old. If that wasn't bad enough, he is a closet romantic, except he's not really in the closet. He thinks that everyone should be in love and married. So recently he has taken to setting me up with men under the charade of business; which makes it worse, because I can't take the chance that it's not business and say I have plans.

Last time it was the son of one of our major clients. I don't know what Bob told the guy, but he called me for three weeks after we met trying to persuade me to go out with him. And I would have, if it weren't for the fact that he was really boring and kept telling me how much money he was going to inherit. Yuck! And now I just have this feeling he was going to try again.

"Maybe you could just make up a boyfriend so that he won't set you up any more."

"Thanks for the suggestion Cheryl, but with my luck Bob would ask to meet him. And then I'd be in a tight spot. Only thing to do is grin and bear it."

"Let me know if he's cute. Maybe you can give him my number."

With that, Cheryl walked out of my office. I stood up, smoothed out my skirt, and headed for Bob's office. Better to find out now, then at the end of the day when I'm all psyched up for a quiet evening at home.

---

"So the Harris account is under control?" Bob inquired.

"I'm going to look over the file this afternoon and give Mr. Harris a call to go over the details."

I looked up from the notes I had been taking. So far the whole meeting had been about ongoing projects. Maybe I'd get lucky this time. "Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?"

He stopped for a minute to ponder my question. "Actually …"

I knew I shouldn't have asked. I should have just left. Was that my phone ringing? Cheryl calling my name? The fire alarm going off? Nope. Wishful thinking.

"I am meeting an old friend who is thinking of contracting us for a multi-million dollar job. But his son is in town and, so if I want any chance of talking business, I need someone to keep him company. Are you busy tonight?"

He must have caught my grimace because his next comment sealed the deal.

"I don't think I need to tell you how important a contract like this could be."

That did it; I was going to be stuck with yet another guy for yet another tedious dinner. At least I could hope this one wouldn't slurp his soup or knock my wine into my lap.

---

I made my way into the restaurant and towards the hostess. After work I had rushed home to thrown on something more dinner appropriate. Actually, I pulled on a new black dress I had bought the week before. Clothes were my weakness, I just couldn't help myself; in this case, it came in handy.

I looked around; this place was definitely upscale. Good thing I wasn't paying, since I had blown my month's budget on the dress; that and not having to make dinner were the benefits to this fiasco. Cooking for one was not the most fun.

The hostess led me to the table; there were three men already sitting down. Bob and another older man were facing toward me. That must mean that my "date" is the blond with his back to me.

"Gabi."

Bob greeted me, and the blond turned his head. I could feel my jaw drop. There sitting at the table was Ryan Evans, one of my friends from high school.

---

Halfway through dinner, Ryan turned to me. "So Gabriella, this is where you've been hiding yourself. I never thought dinner with my dad and Bob would bring me to you."

Apparently, Bob and Ryan's father had gone to university together and got together every time they were in the same city. Business always came up but nothing was ever decided; at least according to Ryan.

I should have known that eventually the conversation would turn to my disappearance out of the old crowd. In my mind it always made sense that the last girl to join would be the first to leave; even if everyone only became friends after I arrived. I braced myself for what I knew was coming.

"We missed you at the reunion. Everyone else made it and we had a great time relieving some of the old days."

I looked down at my plate while the lie slipped out.

"I wanted to go, but I was out of the country for work."

Well, I was out of the country on work. It was the part about wanting to go that was the lie. Actually, after I got the invitation I was dreading it; but planned to attend because I didn't have a feasible excuse. And then I had the opportunity to oversea a job in Europe and jumped at the chance to get out of the reunion. I couldn't face the people that used to be my friends. Things had changed; I changed. But mostly, I couldn't be reminded of what Troy and I used to have. And the whole weekend would have be a reminder, besides, what if he had turned up with a date, or a girlfriend, or even a wife!

"It was great. I even have some gossip for you. Zeke and Sharpay have gotten back together."

Zeke, a friend of Troy's, and Sharpay, Ryan's twin sister, dated on again/off again for most of high school. They used to fight and break up all the time, and then a few weeks later they would get back together. Whenever they were together, Sharpay and Ryan would hang out with Zeke who hung out with Troy and I. After our somewhat tumultuous start, where Troy and I got the lead in the musical over Ryan and Sharpay, Sharpay and I had a rocky friendship. There was bitter competition on her part whenever tryouts were on but most of the time we got along okay. As far as I could remember, Sharpay and Zeke had broken up the summer after graduation; neither wanted to be tied down.

"Wow. That's great." I hope that he couldn't tell how fake my enthusiasm was.

"Yeah, it's hard with her in California and him trying to set up the new restaurant here, but they're making it work. Oh! Hey, you should come to the grand opening of the restaurant. Everyone is going to be there. We all decided at the reunion that 10 years was too long so we're getting together next month. It's going to be great!"

With that announcement, my heart sank. There was no way out of this one. I was going to have to come face to face with my past.


	3. Chapter 2

I spent the next few weeks trying to forget that my run in with Ryan ever happened. I threw myself into my work; I don't think I've ever been so productive. I started going out on the town more as well, bugging my friends until they would do activities with me, anything really. I just didn't want to be alone in my apartment with nothing to think about but my upcoming reunion. I also started prowling for men. I couldn't help but think that showing up with a man on my arm would be the most effective armour against old memories.

I was starting to hope that Ryan had forgotten about the invitation to Zeke's restaurant opening. That hope was shattered when I got the call. There I was, sitting at my desk; up to my ears in paperwork, when Cheryl let me know over the intercom that Sharpay was on the phone. I braced myself and picked up the phone.

"Hello Sharpay, how are you?"

"Gabriella!" She shrieked into my ear, and I pulled the phone away from my ear. "I can't believe it's you!"

Even with the phone a foot from my ear, I could still hear her clearly.

"I was so excited when Ryan told me he ran into you. Imagine you working with Bob, what a small world!" She was entirely too cheery; I could feel a headache coming on. Don't get me wrong, I like Sharpay but she was showing more enthusiasm than I could even pretend to have.

"So you're coming to the opening right? It'll be great to have everyone there on Zeke's big day. I can't tell you how thrilled he is to have all the support. Not that it's his first opening or anything, but still. I just wanted to make sure you knew when we were going to be there and what the plan is. No excuse of work this time, like the reunion, okay? It's been too long since we've seen you!" exclaimed Sharpay.

You never could get a word in once she got on a roll. I bit away my protests. I just couldn't bring myself to make a lame excuse that she would see through. That's the one thing about Sharpay that I really admired; if you weren't completely sure of yourself and what you were going to say, she made you feel like she was right, even if you didn't agree. And you ended up agreeing before you realized what had happened. I could have used that talent with my job.

"I guess so." I murmured quietly.

"All the gang is going to be there. Zeke invited all his basketball buddies, and I didn't want to feel like the only non-jock there so I made sure the others were coming too. Of course Ryan is coming, and Kelsi will be there; I even pestered Taylor into coming."

So Troy was definitely going then. Great, there goes the hope that even if I did go he wouldn't be there. But I should have known better, Troy would never let down a friend. As much as he had changed toward me, he was still the thoughtful guy he had been when we had met, even if he had stopped visibly showing it around me a long time ago.

"Okay then, I'll call to confirm in a few days then. Tootles!"

I guess I had missed the rest of what Sharpay had said while I was daydreaming about Troy. I knew then and there that the next week was going to be a long one.

---

I did the one thing that was bound to take my mind of Troy, the gang, and the upcoming reunion. Shopping! I figured that if I couldn't show up at the restaurant with a supremely attractive, successful man on my arm, the next best thing was to show up looking gorgeous and unattainable; which meant finding a new dress that would make all the men drool. Which, in New York, wasn't that hard to find; the shopping is one of the reasons I love the city so much.

Several hours later, I found myself opening the door to my apartment not only with a new dress, but shoes and a bag to complete the ensemble. I dropped my purchases just inside the door and walked over to the answering machine which was blinking furiously. I hit the button and picked up the mail.

"Hey Gabriella, just called to say Hi …" It was my mom. I made a mental note to call her later and tuned out the rest of the message. Bill, bill, flyer, junk, junk; why didn't I ever get any good mail?

"…Taylor McKessie. You know, from high school …" I dropped the mail and stared at the machine in shock. Was that really Taylor? Taylor, who after finding out that I was great in science and math, had pestered me to join the scholastic decathlon team? Taylor, who was one of my closest friends during high school but never seemed to understand what I was feeling? Taylor, who's shoulder I had cried on after Troy and I had broken up? I never gave her my number in New York; we hadn't spoken since my mom moved away from Albuquerque. I quickly hit the replay button and listened intently.

"Hi Gabriella! It's Taylor McKessie. You know, from high school. I did some searching and found your name in the book. Sharpay told me you were in New York and were coming to Zeke's opening. It'll be so good to see you again! Here is the thing, I was wondering if I could stay with you while I am in town. Zeke's place is going to be full with all the guys and Sharpay and downtown hotels cost so much. Besides, then we could catch up properly. Let me know! My number is 555-5230. Looking forward to hearing from you! Ciao!"

The machine beeped, letting me know there weren't any more messages. I numbly walked over to a chair and slumped into it. Leaning forward, I placed my head in my hands. As much as I had been resigned to going before, this was the final nail in my coffin. With Taylor staying with me, I couldn't even fake sick at the last minute. Once I called her back and told her she could stay with me, there was no way I could say no, I was committed.

After a few minutes of sulking, my head shot up, and I put a stubborn look on my face. It was time to step up and be an adult about this. Not only am I going to the damn reunion; I will have fun. At the very least, I'm not going to be miserable the whole time. I'm going to catch up with people I haven't seen in half a decade, eat some good food, and show Troy Bolton that I am happy without him. I stood up with a brand new, determined attitude. Everything was going to work out, and I was going to be stronger for it. It would be the final step in putting Troy behind me forever. Reaching for the phone, I began to dial Taylor's number.

---

That night I dreamed of Troy.

We were back in high school, and we were walking home from musical practice. He was holding my hand and I was dancing all around him, singing. He smiled at me and flicked his head to get the hair out of his eyes.

"We've just been singing for the last three hours. How can you still want to sing?"

I stopped dancing and laughed. Reaching forward, I took his other hand and looked deep into his eyes. "Being with you always makes me want to sing. You make me so happy Troy."

He grinned and looked away, "You don't make me happy. That's why I dumped you."

And then all of a sudden we were standing in my apartment. Troy lifted his hand and ran it down my arm. I could feel the warmth of his touch and a tingle went through my body. I yearned for more and stepped closer so our bodies were pressed together. He placed both hands on my head, so they were cupping my face. He leaned down and pressed a searing kiss on my lips. My body arched against his and I felt his tongue slip into my mouth. And then suddenly he pulled away, and an arrogant look crossed over his face.

"You're mine Gabriella. No matter how much time passes and how many other people you date. You're mine! Even if I don't want you, you'll never be anyone else's." He leaned in for another kiss.

My eyes shot open and I sat upright in bed. I took some deep breaths to try and calm down, to stop hyperventilating. The dream shattered the resolve I had made earlier in the night. It reminded me of one of my greatest fears, the reason that I really was dreading the reunion with Troy, and all the emotions that I thought I had dealt with. But really, I had just locked them up, and threw away the key. And now the wall had dissolved, and all of those thoughts confronted me.

I was scared that I had missed my chance at real happiness. That Troy was it for me, and I would never love anyone the way that I had loved him. That no relationship would ever be as good as the one we had. That I was still in love with the boy, even if I didn't know the man. That no one could compare to Troy, and I would never be able to accept anyone else. And now, in about a week, I would be forced to socialize the one man, the only man that had ever gotten under my skin. Who was so deeply ingrained in my psyche that I couldn't shake him out, no matter how hard I tried.

Damn it, we hadn't dated in over 10 years. I haven't even seen the guy in over 5 years. Why wouldn't he leave me and my thoughts alone?


	4. Chapter 3

The rest of the week flew by and before I knew it, I was headed to the airport to meet Taylor. Over the past week, I had talked to Sharpay twice, Ryan once, Zeke once, and Kelsi, another friend, once. That's not even mentioning the number of times I talked to Taylor, trying to iron out the details of the weekend. Part of me was exhausted, and couldn't wait for the weekend to be over. But another part of me was excited, excited to see the people that had meant so much to me all those years ago; even if I knew that seeing them again would hurt.

I had taken a cab to the airport, which was more draining than it sounds. The cabbie wanted to make small talk; while all I wanted to do was sit in silence and prepare myself for the reunion. At least I was going to see Taylor before anyone else. I knew that that reunion, at least, would be a happy one. After all, Taylor and I had become close friends before anyone else had entered the picture. That is, besides Troy. Troy and I had met before I had even moved to Albuquerque, at a New Year's Eve Party. We had been drawn to each other from the start. It was like fate had tossed us together. That's what I used to think anyway.

I made my way through the airport, fighting the crowd. I was a little early to meet Taylor, so I had plenty of time to just look around and make sure I was in the right place. I grabbed a seat across the aisle from the gate where Taylor was supposed to arrive, and settled myself in for some quality people watching.

A few seats down from me, sat a young woman and a small girl of about 5. The girl was squirming in her seat and the woman was trying to settle her down. "Darla, can you please sit still? Daddy will be getting in any minute. Aren't you excited to see him?" Her exasperated tone had caught my attention.

The little girl scrunched up her face and wailed, "I want Daddy now!"

I tried to hide a smile. I was glad I wasn't dealing with the little girl, who looked too tired and too whiney to have to sit in an airport.

My gaze swept around the immediate area. Across the aisle, a teenager had headphones on and was reading a magazine. Every once in a while he'd nod his head with the beat. Beside him sat an older woman who was staring at the gate and constantly checking her watch.

I glanced at the next gate over. There was a crowd of people; apparently that plane had just arrived. It was fun to watch the people step out of the gate and see them being greeted by their loved ones, big smiles and hugs all around. And then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of dirty brown hair on a tall, stocky man. From the side, I could have sworn he was Troy. I sunk into my chair; I was not ready to see him yet. He turned to face me. Right away I realized that it wasn't Troy. There were definitely similarities but the eyes and nose were all wrong.

Oh God! I was seeing things, imagining him in people around me. This was not good at all. How could I be so delusional? It was bad enough I was going to have to eat dinner with him tomorrow, did I have to start picturing him in a crowd?

"Gabriella!"

My thoughts were interrupted by a shriek and I looked up to see Taylor running towards me. I hopped to my feet and, seeing her arms out wide, got ready to receive the obligatory hug. She reached me and grabbed me a big hug and let out a squeal. And all of a sudden, I was squealing with her. And then the tears started, I couldn't help myself when Taylor started. I got caught up in the moment. And it really was great to see her again.

---

Back at my apartment, Taylor and I made ourselves comfortable on the couch with a big tub of ice cream and some hot fudge sauce. It was just like we used to do back in high school during a sleepover where we'd gossip about who was cute, who was dating who, and how we were going to do in the Scholastic Decathlon. What can I say? We were nerds, and couldn't be completely shallow even when we tried to be.

"I can't believe it's been so many years since we talked! Catch me up on the latest Gabriella news? Where are you working? What have you been doing to keep busy? Are you seeing anyone, engaged, married?"

I let out a chuckle at Taylor's enthusiasm. The cab ride back to my apartment had consisted of Taylor telling me funny stories about the journey here. A fat man who didn't quite fit in the seat on one side of her and the old woman who snored and whose head kept landing on Taylor's shoulder on the other side added up to a not so pleasant trip.

"Well, I'm working at an engineering consulting firm and have been since I graduated from Princeton. I really like it, everyday is a challenge, and I get to travel all over, which is nice. Work keeps me pretty busy actually, but I go out with my friends and I'm singing in a church choir. So that helps. And I'm not seeing anyone. Don't you think I would have invited you to my wedding if I had gotten married?" I looked up from my spoonful of ice cream and stared at Taylor intently. She couldn't possibly think that I wouldn't call her if something that important had happened. Then again, I was dreading this reunion a great deal. Would I have called her?

"Well, it has been a long time. And I don't know, you could have eloped or something." The perk and enthusiasm had left her voice.

"Taylor, no matter how little we have talked over the last few years. I still consider you a close friend. And if I were getting married, I'd want all my close friends there to celebrate with me." And as I said it, I knew it was the truth. I felt it deep in my heart that I sincerely would have made the effort, because it mattered, and she mattered to me.

Taylor shot me a big smile. I threw my head back and laughed until my stomach hurt. That happy laughter that feels like it's the only to adequately express how you are feeling. She must have understood what was going through my mind because she started to laugh too. It felt good being here and I was glad she had come. And for the first time in weeks, I had no thoughts, even remote ones, of the reunion or of Troy.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/n** : I apologize for the delay in posting this chapter, holidays and all.

* * *

Much later that night, while we were sitting around the table with some glasses of wine, Taylor caught me up on all the old gang's activities. Her reasoning was that if I knew the basics of what everyone was doing then I could ask everyone specifics tomorrow at the opening. I wasn't really in the mood to hear it, but Taylor seemed so excited that I settled myself in to listen. Besides, I knew that it would be easier for me to fit into the conversation if I had some grasp of what everyone had been up to. Especially since the rest of the gang was up on all the news.

"Well, Ryan has been traveling with a small musical troupe, going from town to town putting on theatre productions. He said the money wasn't great, but that its great fun and he gets to see most of the country." Ryan had told me this much when we had dinner together, but hadn't told me much else in the presence of his father and Mr. March.

"He's currently dating another guy in the troupe but nobody has met the mystery man yet, not even Sharpay."

"Well, that clears up the old dilemma doesn't it?" I questioned as I took a sip of wine. We had always wondered about Ryan's sexual preference. He had dated a few girls in high school, nothing serious though. And whenever I talked to Sharpay, when we were in university, he was always single.

"I thought that too but apparently he doesn't discriminate. His last relationship was with a woman and lasted two years. And he kept checking out women at the reunion with the other guys. Not in that 'her outfit clashes and her shoes don't match' way, but in the 'I wouldn't turn down a roll in the sack' way."

Taylor's matter-of-fact statement of Ryan's attitude caused the wine to go down the wrong way as I failed to stifle a laugh. I struggled to keep from spitting it out all over the table and ended up coughing so hard tears formed in my eyes.

After I had recovered, I asked, "So he's bi?"

Without waiting to hear Taylor's answer, I stopped to think how I felt about that turn of events. It wasn't that I had anything against alternative lifestyles; in fact, one of my best friends was a lesbian. But this was a guy I had known for over 10 years, taking the step from wondering to knowing for sure deserved some thought. After a minute or two, I realized that it didn't change the boy I knew, if anything it was just the final expression of what we had always speculated.

I said as much to Taylor. "That makes sense when you consider that some days we were sure he was gay, and other days we were convinced that he had to be straight."

Taylor nodded, "The hours we spent trying to figure that out." She made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort. "Do you remember when we started keeping track of all the things he did that could be considered gay or straight?"

I bobbed my head with delight, "We thought we could figure out which way he 'swung' by which column was longer after a month. But we kept arguing about which columns certain actions would fit under."

"I think it's still at my parent's house, in a box with all my other high school things." Taylor commented, "I'll have to dig it out next time I go home."

She paused, and I got up to refill our glasses. Taylor leaned back in her chair, and kicked off her shoes.

"I take it you know that Zeke and Sharpay have gotten back together." Taylor eyed me with some scrutiny, waiting for a reaction.

"Yes, Ryan mentioned it to me when he told me about the restaurant opening. I hope they are very happy together." I said sincerely. "They haven't been breaking up and getting back together every couple of weeks have they?" I added with a smirk. Zeke and Sharpay were notorious for their on-again off-again relationship in high school.

Taylor contemplated that for a second, and then spoke. "No, actually, I think being a couple thousand miles apart is good for them. Sharpay told me that since they are so far apart for such a large portion of the time, they spend all their time together making up for the time they can't be. And the rest of the time, they spend missing each other,"

"Aww, that's nice. I'm glad they grew out of that. I remember how tiring it was to try and remember whether or not we could mention Zeke in front of Sharpay."

"We got into hot water over that more than once. I can still hear Sharpay shrieking at me not to mention that 'abnormally tall waste of flesh' in my nightmares sometimes." Taylor shuddered at the thought.

"Zeke always managed to soften her up with a batch of his special cookies or some other delicious baked good." My mouth watered at the thought of Zeke's culinary talents. Every month in high school, he used to have the whole gang over and try out new recipes that he dreamed up. We always gorged ourselves until we couldn't move and then spent the rest of the night lying around his house watching bad movies.

Taylor started rubbing her belly. "I'm looking forward to consuming some of those cookies tomorrow. They better be on the menu!"

"I'm sure they will be. But now that you mention food, I'm feeling sort of peckish. How about a snack? I have chips; I know they aren't cookies but …" I got up and grabbed a bag out of the cupboard along with a bowl. I set the chips on the table and Taylor started talking again.

"Kelsi and Jason are still together, have been since high school. Who would've thought those two would be the couple that lasted? Everyone thought it would be you and …" her voice trailed off as she saw the look on my face. I knew where she was going; Troy and I had been the golden couple. Everyone thought we were perfect together. At first we were so happy that nobody realized that by the end of senior year we were falling apart. The gang certainly saw our relationship through rose coloured glasses.

But I didn't want to think about Troy. So, instead, I focused on Jason and Kelsi. I had met Kelsi through musical auditions. She was the composer for the first production I had taken part in at East High, and we became close during practices and rehearsals. Jason played on the basketball team with Troy. The two had met through Troy and I and our quest to take part in the final callbacks for the musical. They had dated throughout high school and college as far as I knew.

"I knew that they had made it through most of university so I'm not really shocked they never broke up. Think they'll get married any time soon?" I asked. I hoped so; they were always so cute together.

"You know Kelsi, all about being true to yourself and that. She doesn't think they need a piece of paper to show they are together. But apparently Jason has been making noises about making it official. And you know Kelsi would say yes if it was important to Jason."

That thought made me smile. The two were so different; Jason was such a jock and Kelsi was definitely a drama geek, but it didn't matter to the two of them. But that was characteristic of the couples from our year and the gang in general. Most of us had very little in common, but we all seemed to fit together.

"Jason is teaching geography at East High and Kelsi is writing music all the time. She has sold some pieces to some big stars, but none of the songs have been released yet."

"Good for her." I was really happy for Kelsi, writing music was her passion and to be able to do that for a living … wow! And Jason, a teacher, that was slightly amusing but I could picture him in the classroom.

"Hard to believe we're really adults isn't it?" Taylor inquired, "Sometimes it seems like high school was just yesterday. That it was only a few days ago we were getting ready at your house for prom and the boys were waiting in the living room for us to come downstairs."

"The looks on their faces were priceless. I think all of their jaws were on the floor." That thought brought a smile to my face. Even amidst the problems Troy and I were having at the time, we still managed to have a fun at prom, at least when we were with everyone else.

"We did look gorgeous that night!" Taylor exclaimed, and I couldn't help but agree with her. Taylor, Kelsi, Sharpay, Ryan's date Alisa, and I had gone all out for prom. We had gotten manicures, pedicures, hair and makeup professionally done. Not to mention all the time we had spent picking out the perfect dresses. The boys were in awe and it took a few minutes before Chad was able to muster a comment and shout out 'Damn, you ladies are fine!'

Chad was Troy's best friend and Taylor's date for the prom. Taylor and Chad had dated for just over two months after he had asked her to the basketball championship after party. They never fought or anything but had suddenly broken up one weekend. No one could get anything out of them except that they were 'too different for it to last'. The good thing was that they were able to still be friends with little or no awkwardness; which meant we didn't have to choose sides and could still hang out together as one big group of friends.

Thinking about Chad made me realize that there were two people Taylor hadn't mentioned yet, Troy and Chad. I didn't want to find out just yet if Troy was married or had kids. I needed a few more glasses of wine before I could talk about him.

"So Taylor, what's Chad been up to?"

"Actually, he's back in Albuquerque. He was playing for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, an NBA Development League team, for a while hoping to be called up. I don't think he was getting to play very much because he recently quit the team. Now he's working at a small sports magazine and is the assistant coach at East High for Troy's dad."

"Nobody was as obsessed with basketball as Chad." When I first moved to Albuquerque, he tried to keep Troy and I apart because he thought I was distracting Troy from the upcoming championship game. After he realized I wasn't going to prevent Troy from playing, Chad and I became good friends. He was a fun guy, a little immature at times, but devoted to his friends and, of course, basketball.

"Yeah, he was as focused on that sport as I was on the scholastic decathlon competition." Taylor had been worried that Troy was preventing me from joining her team. Trying to split us up had brought her and Chad together.

"Whatever happened between you and Chad? You never would give out the details back in high school, but it's been long enough that you can share with me." I had to ask, thinking about the two had brought up memories of the old frustration I had felt over not knowing what went wrong between them.

Taylor dropped the cookie she was holding and I saw the embarrassment flash over her face before she had a chance to hide it.

"Come on Taylor, it's been over 10 years!" The look on her face had stirred my interest and now I was dying to know.

"Umm, well Chad and I broke up because we were both feeling pressured. Being the perfect boyfriend/girlfriend was tiring and we were both so focused on our own stuff that we just didn't feel right trying to split our attention. We talked about it and decided that we were better off just friends."

That made sense to me; they were both so driven to succeed. But that couldn't be the whole story. It was too similar to what she had told me after the break up to be the truth. It didn't help her case that through the whole story she wouldn't look me in the eye and that she was nervously ripping her napkin into small pieces.

"What aren't you telling me?" I queried. I couldn't imagine anything that would be so embarrassing she'd still need to hide it after all these years. It wasn't like they had cheated on each other or had a pregnancy scare. Right?

Taylor took a big gulp of wine, quickly glanced at me and then looked away.

"Remember date night?"

Date night was a night set aside each week, where it was understood that all the couples would spend time together just the two of them. Since most of the gang consisted of couples at first, it seemed like the best way to ensure we could all hang out together the rest of the time. Taylor and Chad had broken up after date night was well situated in our routine. Looking back, I now realized that none of us had ever really thought that they would be left with nothing to do on date night; they never complained about their lack of plans.

"Well, sometimes I would have a date or Chad would have a date or something else would be going on … but mostly Chad and I hung out."

"Okay …" There had to be more than that!

"And well, we did stuff." Taylor was getting pretty twitchy at this point, fidgeting in her chair.

"Stuff?"

"Fine! We were friends with benefits, okay? Are you happy now? Chad and I fooled around a lot and we had fun spending time together. We were just really uncomfortable having to live up to the boyfriend/girlfriend label. So we broke up and were much happier to just hook up and talk on the phone when it was convenient!"

Taylor's tirade made me burst out laughing. It sounded to me that Taylor and Chad had basically continued dating but just didn't want anyone to know about it, including each other. It explained why Taylor was always the first to know what was going on with Chad and vice-versa. I shook my head in disbelief; none of us had picked up on their sneaking around at all.

"How long did this go on?" I questioned.

"Well …" Taylor drawled out the word.

I had never seen Taylor this elusive before. I lifted one of my eyebrows and glared at her, knowing it would make it squirm.

"It never really stopped. We still talk on the phone a lot, and we kind of visit each other pretty frequently." She blurted out. And then, after regaining some of her composure, stated firmly. "But we're not dating! We're just really close friends! You can't tell the others!"

I felt my jaw drop. That announcement really threw me for a loop. I couldn't believe that they had been sneaking around like this for over 10 years and still considered the other 'just a friend'. It was going to be tough to keep a lid on this tomorrow, but I knew Taylor would murder me if I didn't.

"Wow! Don't worry Taylor; I won't mention anything to the rest of the gang tomorrow."

"Thanks Gabriella. Chad and I agreed that it would be better if no one else knew. He wouldn't be too impressed if he knew I had let it slip to you." The relief on Taylor's face was evident.

I sent her a wink, and said, "You just couldn't handle the teasing everyone would give the two of you."

She raised her eyebrow, and topped off my glass. I sensed a change of subject coming on.

"So Gabi, do you still talk to Troy?"

I sighed and drained the full glass of wine. I saw that one coming a mile away. It was the perfect way to get back at me for my comment, and get the heat off of her and Chad's relationship.

"No. Maybe a random email here and there but I think the last one was over a year ago. And even that was only a line or two." I poured a new glass of wine; I was going to need to be a little drunk if we were going to discuss Troy.

"He's doing really well. He's working at a big marketing firm in their Chicago offices as a manager or head of a division or something. I think he said he was up for a big promotion." Good for Troy. It may make my stomach churn and my heart ache to think about the guy but that didn't mean I didn't want him to be happy. As much as I hated to admit it, I still cared what happened to him.

"He recently broke up with his girlfriend of one year," Taylor continued casually, "just before the reunion actually. He flies home to Albuquerque quite frequently to visit with Chad and his family."

"Oh yeah?" I didn't know what else to say besides that. Did Taylor want me to be fascinated with Troy's activities? What did she expect me to do? To show that even talking about him tore at my heart and made me ache with inexpressible emotions?

I had never been able to describe how or why Troy affected me so much. The few instances I had tried to explain it to friends, usually after too many drinks, had resulted in miserable failure and everyone wondering why I was hung up on a guy who had been such a jerk to me. What I couldn't explain was that he hadn't always been a jerk, and I knew deep down that the boy I had fallen in love with was a part of the man he had become. And I was still attached to the memories and everything I've had since paled in comparison. No one understood.

"He and Chad are still really close. I swear they have man crushes on each other!" Taylor exclaimed, accompanied with a dramatic eye rolling.

I gave a half-hearted laugh at Taylor's assessment of Troy and Chad's relationship, mostly because it was true. They had spent as much, if not more, time together as Troy and I had, especially at the end of the relationship. The whole gang thought they would go through withdrawal symptoms when they went to separate universities.

"They are probably gossiping over drinks as we speak. I always thought they acted like a bunch of teenage girls when they were together, you know, when they weren't talking about basketball." I kidded in an attempt to hide my discomfort. It was easy to pretend to be uninterested in the topic of Troy when we were making fun. But I knew deep down that I was anything but indifferent.

I swiftly changed the topic.

"So Taylor, you haven't told me much about what you've been doing lately."

"Well, you know I've been working with in a biochemistry lab developing new pharmaceuticals in Florida. I love my job and it's wonderfully challenging. It's nice knowing I'm helping people. The weather is nice and the people are wonderful. I'm close to the ocean and there are lots of activities to keep me busy."

"Why do I sense a but here Taylor?" I questioned. When she was describing her life, the look on her face was the same as if she had bit into a sour apple. She didn't look as happy as she claimed to be. I could tell she was trying to convince herself, as well as me, that everything was peachy.

"To be honest, I miss Albuquerque and my family. There was a time when all I wanted to do was get away; to have all new friends and a new life. Just to try it out, you know." Taylor let out a large sigh, "But now, all I want to do is move back home and settle down. And, of course, discover the cure for cancer or some other high profile disease." Taylor chuckled when she made that last statement and I laughed uneasily with her.

The thought of moving back to Albuquerque kind of made my skin crawl; too many old ghosts.


	6. Chapter 5

Taylor and I spent the next day browsing around the city. Taylor had never spent any amount of time in New York and I was more than happy to show her around. It had the added benefit of keeping my mind off the events of the evening. But the morning and early afternoon went by far too quickly for my liking, and soon it was time to head back to my apartment in order to get ready for Zeke's restaurant opening.

Taylor and I took our time getting dressed, fusing with our hair and makeup. Normally I don't put too much effort into my appearance; a little blow drying and mascara does the trick. However, tonight I felt the need to go all out, to show everyone that the last 10 years had been good to Gabriella Montez. Taylor also seemed to be spending an extra long time getting ready, at least compared to high school. Granted, I hadn't been around her enough in recent years to know if her routine had changed any.

While Taylor was in the bathroom putting the finishing touches on her makeup, I poured myself two fingers of scotch. If ever there was a night for a little liquid courage, this was it. Standing in front of the hall mirror, I threw back the drink, and gave myself a little pep talk.

Whispering to myself, I said, "Gabriella Montez, you are a happy, successful business woman. You have a great job, a gorgeous apartment, and wonderful friends. There is nothing anyone can say or do to make you unhappy, because what these people think does not matter."

But even as I said the words out loud, I knew I didn't believe any of it. These people had been my friends and a huge part of my life, what they thought would always matter, especially one person in particular. I knew that this night, this reunion, had the potential to devastate me for the next couple months. Even if I reconnected with everyone else and they accepted me for who I had become, just seeing Troy again would send me into a funk that would be hard to break out of.

But I couldn't back out now. Not when everyone was expecting me to be there and Taylor was staying at my place. Short of projectile vomiting, getting hit by a car, or having a heart attack, no excuse would be adequate. Hell, if any of those happened, Taylor would probably still force me to make an appearance or drag everyone down to the hospital to visit with me. No, there was no way I was avoiding the big reunion now.

I snuck a glance at the closed bathroom door. It didn't sound like Taylor was coming out any time soon. I definitely had time for another drink.

---

The cab ride to Zeke's restaurant went surprisingly fast considering New York's notoriously bad traffic; it was way too quick for me. My stomach felt like someone had grabbed hold of it and was squeezing with all their might. I had cold sweats and clammy hands. My body was definitely punishing me for deciding to go through with the reunion.

Before I had a chance to calm down, Taylor and I had arrived at the restaurant. From the outside the place looked amazing. It was oozing of charm and class. It was the kind of spot that had subtle elegance but was showy enough to catch a passerby's eye. I could tell that it was going to be a hit and that wasn't just based on the crowd of people hanging around out front. It looked like this was the place to be tonight. My guess was that a lot of the crowd was thanks to Sharpay's promotion.

Right after high school, Sharpay had headed to Hollywood hoping to hit it big. Small roles in television and bit parts in movies had finally led to her being cast as the lead in a blockbuster which had come out during the last year. The success of the movie led to Sharpay being one of the 'it' girls. Luckily her need to constantly be in the spotlight had faded during high school, resulting in her striving to keep her private life, just that, private. However, that didn't prevent her from promoting Zeke's opening to all her movie star acquaintances. As she put it to me on the phone 'they'll come the first time because I suggested it, but they'll come back because of the food'. It looked like her powers of persuasion had worked. And, based on previous experience with Zeke's food, I knew they would be back.

Taylor and I bypassed the crowd and strolled directly into the restaurant; we knew that the rest of the gang was probably already seated. When we reached the hostess station, I took a few deep breaths and pressed my hand against my stomach, in a futile effort to try to calm the butterflies. A quick glance around told me that if we didn't know the owner there would have been no chance of us getting a table; the place was packed!

And then I caught sight of them, a table full of my high school friends with two empty chairs waiting for Taylor and me. Zeke was the only exception, and I figured that he was in the kitchen; after all, it was his restaurant on opening night.

At first they all sat there, kind of staring at me. I guess they were stunned at not having seen me for a while; at least I hoped that's all it was. I swallowed deeply and braced myself for some uninterested stares and bored looks, after all I hadn't talked to these people in years, why would they care that I had arrived? But then, before I even realized what was happening, everyone was standing up and I was swept into someone's arms.

It was Chad; he had been sitting right beside where I was standing and so was the first one on his feet by my side. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "It's good to see you Gabster."

And before I could reply, he had let me go and was reaching for Taylor. And I was embraced by a whirlwind of arms. Sharpay gave me a quick hug and let out a squeal, Ryan gave me a wink as he hugged me, and Kelsi started to tear up as she held on to me for what seemed like a long time.

And then I was face to face with Troy. I looked up into his piercing blue eyes, and tried to decipher what he was thinking. There was a time when I could do that with ease, but not anymore. There was no indication to what Troy was thinking so I stuck out my hand. He looked down at it and then I looked down at it. Damn , what was I thinking? A handshake? I berated myself in my head, 'Seriously Gabriella, what were you thinking?' But then, he reached out and took my hand in a nice firm grip. I could barely contain the shudder that his touch brought out. And then I did something even more embarrassing, I leaned in and gave him the 'man hug'. As I stood there clapping on his back, I was inwardly cursing myself even more. Talk about a suave way to greet the ex-boyfriend whom you haven't seen for around 5 years and are still somewhat hung up on.

Troy stepped away and I could feel my face starting to get warm with mortification. I so wanted to show him how sophisticated and worldly I had become, and instead I had immediately displayed the awkwardness I was feeling.

But it didn't seem like anyone else had noticed because Jason had instantly lifted me up and swung me in a tight little circle. It was the perfect thing to do; by the end of our twirl I had a huge smile on my face and had been able to quench the urge to dart out of the restaurant and never look back.

We all took our seats at the table and I ended up seated directly across from Troy. What horrible luck! This was turning out to have the potential of becoming a very long, tedious night. At least he wasn't beside me though; this way I wouldn't have to make conversation with him. I could ignore him and talk to Sharpay and Jason, who were sitting on either side of me.

I looked around at all my high school friends; everyone looked so different and yet the same. In my previous meetings with Taylor and Ryan I hadn't noticed the slight changes time had carried out but now, with the whole gang there, I could see their deviation from their younger selves.

Jason and Chad had both filled out whereas Ryan had become slimmer, if that was possible. Chad was sporting a cute little goatee and had chopped off most of his afro while Jason was showing the signs of a quickly receding hairline. Sharpay had also lost some weight; I guess it was the movie star quest to be tiny taking effect because she had always had a great figure. But looking at her, I still knew she was healthy, Zeke wouldn't let his girlfriend get away with not eating. That and she could never resist his baking, which meant she must spend hours at the gym. Sharpay was dressed to the nines and had an aura of Hollywood glam cloaked around her. Kelsi looked as small and cute as ever but there was an additional glow about her that I had never noticed before. Taylor, on the other hand, had gained some definite curves. It suited her, making an interesting contrast with her no nonsense personality.

Their faces had lost most of the softness of the youth and teenage years. They all looked so grown up but, I guess at around 27, middle age was fast approaching. They didn't look old or tired, just mature. I wondered if that was what they saw when they looked at me.

Finally, I set my eyes on Troy. Troy, who I had been hoping had gotten fat and bald, was still gorgeous. I think even more handsome than in high school. He had pulled off the sophisticated looked where I had failed with a classy suit and tie. Broader through the shoulders, and more solid through the chest and waistline, Troy had developed the physique of a model. Not that he didn't have a great body in high school, but that was a boy's body, and this was most definitely a man's.

After my appraising glance, Troy caught my eye. He had a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Shit! Troy had caught me checking him out and, worse, he could tell I liked what I saw.

Fuck! There went any hope I had of making him think he no longer had any effect on me.


	7. Chapter 6

After my initial nervousness had subsided, it was surprisingly easy to settle back into the old swing of things. The conversation flowed and laughs were abundant, something I didn't expect. I had imagined it would be more awkward, but I was the only one who was really out of the loop. The gang had covered all the catch-up small talk at the East High reunion so they were more relaxed, telling stories, gossiping, and chattering without the pressure of finding out what had been happening during the last 10 years.

Kelsi asked Sharpay who was in charge of selecting the music for the movie Sharpay had just starred in, while Ryan and Taylor began chatting about all the places he had been on tour. Troy and Chad had started discussing East High's chances in the upcoming basketball season. So I turned to Jason, who was feigning interest in what Sharpay and Kelsi were talking about, and tried to draw him into conversation.

"So Jason, how do you like teaching at East High?"

He shook his head and gave me a slight smile. "I should have known Taylor would have caught you up on all the gossip. She may be a smart woman, but she sure does have loose lips." He winked at me, and I smiled. He sure did nail Taylor with that description. As much as she liked to deny it, gossiping was one of her favorite pastimes.

"I really like it. It was a little strange at first, what with some of the same teachers being there and all. Having to call Mrs. Darbus by her first name is a struggle."

I chuckled after that comment. Mrs. Darbus was my homeroom teacher when I first moved to Albuquerque and was in charge of the Drama department. She was one of the most intimidating women I had ever met, lecturing me on my first day at a new school about the evils of cell phones and then giving me detention. As flighty as she seemed, Mrs. Darbus could dish out the discipline better than any other teacher, even if the punishment was the cushiest, painting sets for the productions.

"That would be a sure sign that you have actually hit the grown up world."

"That reality sure has hit me hard lately."

I shot Jason an inquisitive glance paired with a half smile. I wasn't quite sure what that comment meant. I felt like I was missing something but I didn't want to mention it in case everyone else knew what he meant and I was the only one who was left in the dark. I didn't want to make myself feel anymore out of place than I already did.

"I know what you mean; when I heard it was time for the high school reunion I could hardly believe it's been 10 years." It was the only reply I could think of before the silence became awkward. Jason and I had never been super close and often had small, uncomfortable silences when we talked. It wasn't that I didn't like the guy, because I did. He was a great guy and was so good to Kelsi, but we just never had much to say to each other.

At that, Sharpay turned to look at me and said loudly, "We all missed you at the reunion, Gabriella."

It seemed all of the gang had heard Sharpay because they all stopped talking and stared at me. I wanted to shrink down in my chair, and not be noticed. I never liked having everyone look at me. Even after competing in the scholastic decathlon and participating in various musicals, I had never gotten used to the feeling of having a lot of eyes on me at the same time.

"It wasn't the same without you there. After all, you were the one that brought us all together." Kelsi chimed in, making me blush.

Chad piped up as he clapped Troy on the back, "Besides, we were hoping to hear you sing with our boy Troy again."

"You know Gabriella, I can't tell you how many people mentioned you two singing together as one of their fondest memories of high school." Taylor remarked.

I shook my head in disbelief. The first callback auditions that Troy and I had taken part in had been watched by most of the school. I couldn't believe that after all these years that was one of the things people remembered; the whole thing seemed so insignificant now.

But I guess, at the time, the student body had made a huge deal about it; the basketball jock and the science nerd taking part in a musical, effectively becoming drama geeks. We made quite a stir, Troy and I, breaking free of the stereotypes that were placed upon us due to what our main interest was. The student body had followed suit, shattering the mold they had found themselves shoved in and felt free to be a part of other activities without judgment.

The callbacks were also the spark that had ignited our friendship. Troy and I had become close, along with Kelsi, through rehearsals. Taylor and I had met through the scholastic decathlon, while Troy, Chad, Zeke, and Jason played on the basketball team together. Taylor and Chad had schemed together to split Troy and I apart, and in the process had gotten to know one another. The seven of us had joined together to ensure that Troy and I could make the audition and became a tight-knit group. Sharpay and Zeke had become a couple due to some wonder cookies and a little persistence on Zeke's part. Finally, Troy, Kelsi, and I had became friends with Sharpay and Ryan when they were appointed our understudies for the musical. After drawing all the connections and realizing relationships that had resulted from the callbacks, I began to realize the impact that one small event had, not only on my high school experience but also that of all the people sitting at the table with me.

---

Later on, after we had all ordered and were about to start eating, Zeke made his appearance. He walked over, stood behind Sharpay and placed his hands on the back of her chair.

"Hey everyone, glad you could make it." He smiled at all of us.

I couldn't believe how little Zeke had changed. He even still had that sparkle in his eye, which was always present when he talked about basketball, baking or Sharpay. I smiled warmly back at him. Zeke and I had often ended up talking to each other when the gang had gotten together. Sharpay and Ryan would inevitably end up talking about the latest musicals while Chad and Troy would talk basketball and it seemed like Zeke and I would always be sitting next to each other, just on the fringe of all the other conversations. We had become quite close as a result. But, when we were no longer pushed together all the time, we drifted, and I never really made the effort to prevent it. I guess, even with all the time we spent hanging out, I still saw Zeke as Troy's friend first and mine by acquaintance.

"Taylor, it's good to see you again. Gabriella, it's been too long." He waggled his finger at me, like I was a little kid who had misbehaved. "I hope now that I'm in New York I'll be seeing more of you"

I grinned and gestured to my plate, "If you feed me wonderful concoctions such as these, I'll make a point of it."

Everyone chuckled and Zeke shook his head as if in despair, "All the ladies, they only want me for my culinary skills." His statement only made us laugh harder.

Sharpay turned slightly in her seat and reached up to take his hand. She looked at him haughtily and said, "Cooking is only part of the reason I want you." He lifted her hands to his lips, and just as he was about to kiss it, she added, "I also like how you clean and do the laundry!" Zeke groaned as Sharpay winked up at him.

"Now that my ego has been shattered beyond repair, how do you like the place?" Zeke questioned. I could see in his eyes that as casual as he tried to be, it was one of the most important questions he had ever asked. His body tightened with tension as he waited for his reply. I don't think I was the only one who sensed it because no one gave the obligatory response, but instead each of us mentioned something that made the place stand out. I could see the relief wash over Zeke's face and his body relax.

And then, Chad broke through the seriousness that had enveloped the situation effectively breaking the ice. With his mouth full of food, he smirked at Zeke and incoherently mumbled, "Mis ish dahlishish!" We all turned to stare at him with perplexed looks on our faces.

"Dude, speak English much?" Troy questioned.

Taylor rolled her eyes. "He said 'This is delicious.' Honestly, Chad didn't your mother teach you not to speak with your mouthful?" In reply, Chad just shook his head and proceeded to shove even more of his dinner into his mouth.

"Thanks for that Chad; glad you are enjoying the food." Zeke beamed. "Anyway, I just wanted to come out and see how everyone was doing. I plan on making it standard policy, you know, human interaction and stuff. I also wanted to make sure that Taylor and Gabriella knew they were invited back to my place after dinner for a first day celebration type deal."

Sharpay formed an oh with her mouth. It was clear she had completely forgotten that she was supposed to tell us. Zeke rubbed her shoulder in reassurance.

"You will come, won't you?" Sharpay implored, after she had shaken the dazed look on her face.

Taylor immediately answered her, "Of course we'll come; wouldn't miss it for the world."

As much as I wanted to go home and crawl in bed with a big bucket of ice cream, all I could do was nod in agreement. The expectant looks on everyone's face prevented me from saying no. That is, everyone but Troy. He managed to maintain an impassive look of indifference.

Couldn't he at least show some sort of emotion at the prospect of spending time with me? Was being in the same room as me enough to suck all the enjoyment of being with some of his best friends in the world? What was so wrong with me? These negative thoughts about Troy had me reaching for my glass of wine. As I brought the glass to my lips, I realized that it was empty. Strange, I didn't remember finishing it off. With a shrug, I reached for the bottle on the table for the third time that night.

---

Once we had finished our meal, had dessert, and settled the bill, we headed to Zeke's apartment. Zeke was planning on meeting us there once the restaurant had closed for the evening. I realized on the way over that Zeke didn't actually live that far from me, probably a 10 to 15 minute walk. I could see that there would be few excuses for us not to get together in the future. But surprisingly, the idea didn't disturb me at all; in fact I was really starting to enjoy the company of my old friends.

I was somewhat shocked at how fast we had clicked again. The conversation flowed, and we had lapsed into the old routine of poking fun at one another. It was a little more difficult then when we were constantly spending time together and had tons of material, but it was a comforting habit to fall back into. It made me feel at ease with the old gang.

The only awkwardness existed between Troy and I. We never spoke directly to one another, and I tried to avoid looking at him. But every once in awhile, I'd catch his eye and he'd give me a look. Sometimes it was an 'I know you want me' smirk, and other times he'd drop his eyes to what little cleavage I was showing and grin. It was so frustrating. The worst part was that it was kind of turning me on at the same time, which made me even angrier.

At times during the meal, I had just wanted to punch the guy, and at others, to burst into tears. It was amazing what being reunited with your old flame could do to your emotions. But I was sure that there would be few instances that we would be thrown together, after all, it's not like I went to either Chicago or Albuquerque that often and there could hardly be many group gatherings.

After we climbed out of the cab, I trailed behind the rest of the gang as we climbed the stairs to Zeke's apartment. I had planned to use the few minutes to reassure myself that Troy Bolton was not worth a second thought. It was just my luck however that I ended up walking directly behind him. Three flights of stairs with my eyes at exactly the same level as his ass. Talk about torture! So much for not thinking about Troy, confronted with such a nice view of his butt, it was hard to think of anything else.

I stopped at the top of the stairs and struggled to stifle the feelings of lust that had shot through me. I reminded myself how Troy had ignored me all evening, and how much of a jerk he had been since we had split, really since we had graduated. The anger rose up inside me; perfect, exactly the way to prevent any more unwanted feelings towards Mr. Troy Bolton.

I made my way down the hall and into Zeke's apartment. I couldn't get over how nice it was. I must have been standing there with my mouth open because Sharpay came up behind me and whispered in my ear. "So how'd I do?"

I turned towards her with a quizzical look on my face.

"You don't think that I'd let the opportunity to decorate this place slip by do you? Take your coat?" I nodded dumbly. Sharpay had great taste but I couldn't get over how the place reflected Zeke, had masculinity but still managed to look like it had a feminine touch.

I made my way over to one of the couches where I sat next to Taylor. As soon as I had made myself comfortable, Chad handed me a drink. He gave me a wink and raised his glass. "Here's to renewing old friendships." As I lifted my glass to take the traditional drink to accompany a toast, I wondered over how sensitive Chad had become. But before, I could fully form the thought he added, "And great grub and basketball." We all groaned at that; good to know things hadn't completely changed.


	8. Chapter 7

Chad's toast instigated a round of toasts. It seemed that everyone had something heart felt and touching. Taylor raised her glass to our successes, while Jason toasted our future and its possibilities and Ryan got us to drink to doing what we love. Finally Troy stood up with his glass in hand. Even after all these years apart, everyone still acted as if Troy was the leader of the group. We all quieted down as he cleared his throat.

"Here's to how far we've come since high school. We've broken the mold!" Everyone cheered and clicked their glasses together.

I felt a lot of nostalgia over his remark. One of my strongest impressions of Troy during high school was his desire to be seen as something more than the basketball jock, to be defined by the person he was, not just what sport he played. I couldn't help but shoot him a smile and nod my head in understanding. And for the first time that evening, really since we broke up, Troy sent me a genuine smile. A full teeth, eyes sparkling, happy smile; one that reminded me of those long lost days when he loved being around me, spending time with me.

In that moment, I wished I hadn't seen it; I wished he could have kept acting like the jerk I had come to know. It was easier to pretend that I could barely stand him, that I no longer had any feelings for him when he wasn't being sweet, when he wasn't being the boy I used to love more than anything. But seeing that smile melted my heart, and I knew I was entering dangerous territory. Territory that had the potential to make me ache, but I couldn't help myself. That smile had always made my knees go weak and caused the butterflies in my stomach to flutter. I just hoped I could get through the rest of the night, and then I wouldn't have to see him again for a long time, if ever.

I looked away quickly and finished the rest of my drink. But avoiding Troy wasn't as easy as I hoped. As I went to set the glass down on the table, Troy reached for my glass and asked, "Want some more?"

I stared up at him in shock; I couldn't believe he had acknowledged my presence. He shot a quick glance at Chad, as if to make sure he was listening, and quipped, "That is if you aren't too drunk already. After all, you are probably still a lightweight!"

My jaw dropped and everyone burst out laughing. It was good to know that he hadn't changed that much; that he was more interested in teasing me than talking to me. I knew everyone was thinking about the first night I had ever had any alcohol.

Sharpay and Ryan had invited the gang over after graduation for a celebration party. We had all decided that it was about time we all got drunk together. Some off us had drunk booze before, but not all together, and the majority of us had never gotten smashed. The boys usually had a few beers at after game parties, while Sharpay and Ryan could usually be found drinking a glass or two of wine. Taylor and Kelsi had both tasted alcohol on special occasions, but I had never tried even a drop before.

My mom didn't drink and didn't approve of alcohol and, prior to that night, I had never wanted to risk her wrath. But I had seen graduation as the time to let loose. It was the symbol of my transition into adulthood when I would start to make my own decisions and live with the consequences. Getting drunk was my form of rebelling against my structured lifestyle and proving that I wasn't like my mother. Thinking back, it was a silly idea.

I think I only had maybe two drinks in a short amount of time but they didn't sit well. I ended up spending twenty minutes puking in the bathroom, and not drinking any more that night. Troy didn't get drunk either because he felt like he had to sit with me and keep me company. He wasn't a happy camper what with everyone else drunk and laughing and joking.

The gang had teased me mercilessly for the rest of the summer about how I couldn't hold my liquor. By the end of the summer, I could drink most of them under the table but that didn't matter; I never heard the end of it.

Troy just had to bring up such an embarrassing memory; it was like he was trying to prove that there wasn't anything between us any more. I felt my face getting warm, and everyone was smiling in remembrance. Troy topped up my glass, and Chad lifted his glass.

"To Gabriella's drinking ability."

Chad's comment had everyone gasping for breath they were laughing so hard. Luckily, for me, it also started a slew of 'remember when' stories, each ending with a drink to commemorate the event. Ryan told the story of when I accidentally dumped my lunch all over Sharpay when I first moved to East High. Sharpay retaliated with the story of when Ryan went to ask some girl out but ended up tripping over his own feet in front of most of the student body and landing face first in the bushes.

That story led to one where the school trimmed one of the bushes to resemble Troy following the team's championship win. The bush was mysteriously dressed in woman's clothes everyday until finally the school administration got fed up and trimmed it to look like a regular bush again. Everyone blamed West High for the prank, but no one was ever caught. Only Troy and I knew the truth. We had schemed up many different ways to get rid of that stupid tree and that plan seemed like the most humorous. Troy hated that thing and I was more than happy to help sabotage it; I never did like to see him upset. We both thought that our friends would figure out that we were behind the whole thing, but they never did and we just never got around to telling them.

At the mention of that bush, Troy sent me a smirk accompanied by a wink. His swiftly changing moods toward me were starting to become not only frustrating but confusing. I just wanted him to pick an attitude towards me and stick with it.

I quickly looked away and took another deep sip out of my glass. I could feel my mind swimming; it was that familiar feeling of alcohol starting to take its effect. I gave my head a quick shake to try and clear up the haze as Chad started to tell another story.

Just then, Zeke walked in the door. We all stood up and cheered. I felt a little woozy but pushed it away, if ever there was a night to get drunk, tonight was it. And when Chad proposed a toast to Zeke, I gladly took another drink. It was easier to deny my attraction to Troy if there was alcohol clouding my thoughts.

We all congratulated Zeke, and Sharpay gave him a big kiss. Once Zeke made himself comfortable on the couch, Chad began to tell his story again. But Kelsi interrupted him. That was strange. Kelsi had been quiet all night, just sipping her water and listening to everyone else. Drinking water? That was strange; Kelsi was always up for some alcohol. I brushed that thought aside as Kelsi started to speak.

"Jason and I have an announcement to make." Kelsi said timidly as she looked over at Jason.

"We wanted to wait until everyone was here." Jason smiled broadly as he rubbed Kelsi's back.

"We're expecting!" Kelsi exclaimed. We all stared dumbly at her; it was such big news. But our shock was interrupted by Ryan.

"Expecting what?" We cracked up. Who could help it? It was the same old Ryan, taking just a bit longer than everyone else to pick up on the obvious.

"When are you due?" Sharpay inquired.

"In about 6 months." Kelsi answer as she subconsciously rubbed her stomach.

"But we plan to get married in about 3 months, and we'd like you all to be there." Jason added.

I couldn't believe it a baby and a wedding in the next 6 months. The two of them would experience huge changes the over the next few months. And as happy as I was for them, something was dragging down my spirit. This invitation was a symbol; a sign that after ten years of successfully avoiding my past, it had all come to an end. I was being dragged into the fold, and I wasn't sure that I was completely unhappy about it. I adored all my old friends. It was just whether I could deal with the constant reminder of Troy and what we used to mean to each other.

But one thing was for sure, I couldn't let Jason and Kelsi down. I would be at the wedding; screw Troy and his effect on me.


	9. Chapter 8

A short time later that night, I took my drink out to the balcony and leaned against the railing, trying to think. I guess I was off in my own world because I didn't hear the patio door open.

"Gabi?" Taylor questioned. I jumped at the sound of her voice. I didn't expect anyone to have noticed I had left the celebration.

"What are you doing out here? We're about to pop some champagne." She crossed the balcony and leaned against the railing next to me. I continued to stare at the lights of the city in front of me.

"Just thinking." I replied softly.

"Deep thoughts?" She inquired with an amused tone. I gave her a half smile in reply, and turned back to the void.

"That serious?" All the amusement in her voice was gone. Even after all these years, Taylor still knew me better than almost anyone, anyone but Troy that is. After we lost touch with each other, I just couldn't bear to let anyone in the way I had let Taylor and Troy. I guess I hadn't changed as much as I thought; Taylor could still read me like a book. It was easier to just tell her. She'd just pester me until I spilled anyway.

"I'm happy for Kelsi and Jason, I really am."

"Okay …" Taylor encouraged me to continue.

"It's just, I just …" I stuttered over my words. "It freaks me out, okay?" I turned to face her and she sent me a quizzical look.

I looked away and sighed. "Here I am, 27, no boyfriend in sight, not even the possibility of one, and my friends are getting married and having babies. It doesn't help that my longest relationship was the one I had in high school with a man I've never quite been able to forget." Taylor nodded her head. "It's a lot to take in one night." I said in exasperation.

"It's not just you, you know," she whispered. I turned to face her with surprise evident in my eyes. "I feel that way too; except for the longest relationship part." She sighed. I immediately felt horrible. I had never meant to bring her mood down.

"Did you ever think, Gabi, that what's right for Jason and Kelsi, isn't right for you?"

I dropped my head in misery. "I know. But I can't help but think, I can't help but wonder." I looked her straight in the eyes. "Taylor, in high school, who did you think would be the first to get married?"

"You and Troy," she murmured.

"That's why it's so hard. Because at one time I thought that it would be me. What if I never find anything like that again?" My eyes started to water. A strange look washed over Taylor's face, and I thought I detected an angry glimmer in her eye.

"Did you ever think that maybe that's your problem? That you shouldn't be trying to replace what you had, but looking for something new?" I gaped at the tone of her voice; it was so harsh. She turned on her heel and stormed into the apartment. I couldn't understand what had gotten into her. She wasn't usually set off so easily, typically only Chad could manage it so quickly. I was so puzzled.

I turned back to face the lights and downed the drink in my hand. Maybe I would be able to talk to her about it tomorrow, when we were both sober. I took a deep breath of night air and went back inside.

---

I headed down the hall toward the bathroom. Opening the door was the last person I wanted to see, Troy. He stopped in the door and leaned against the jam. I met his eyes and tilted my head. "Excuse me; I would like to go to the washroom."

He smirked and then dropped his eyes to take in every inch of my body. His voice was husky as he spoke. "Did you like what you saw at dinner? Because I like what I see right now." Fuck him for bringing up my involuntary check out of his body, and damn me for having liked it so much.

"You know Gabriella, I couldn't help but wonder if you still taste the same."

He stepped closer and I instinctively stepped back. I couldn't help but lick my lips nervously. His eyes darted down to where my tongue flicked over my bottom lip. He took another step toward me, and lifted his hand, as if to touch my face. I started to lean towards his open hand, parting my lips; I couldn't help myself. As much as I wanted to fight it, I really wanted to feel those lips against mine, to feel his hot breath against my skin. And just as we were about to close the rest of the distance between us, Chad came around the corner.

"Hey guys, Zeke's planning on pulling some éclairs out. You don't want to miss this."

Chad went back around the corner. Troy pulled away from me and shook his head to sweep the hair out of his eyes. I let the breath I was holding out. I opened my mouth to speak when Chad stuck his head back into the hall.

"Were you two about to kiss?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Get real Chad," Troy snapped. "She had something in her hair. It looked ridiculous so I was getting it out."

"Oh," Chad sounded disappointed and the goofy smile dropped away. "Okay then, remember the éclairs." He left for the second time.

I was glad we were interrupted. For some reason, I was extremely upset over Troy's comment. He could have admitted the truth; it was like he couldn't admit that there was anything still between us.

Rationally, I knew it wasn't a good idea for everyone to know what had almost happened between us, too many questions and innuendos. Troy and I would never hear the end of it. But it just seemed so cold, so void of any feeling, so typical of the Troy I had come to know since our break-up. And that frustrated the hell out of me.

I went to brush by Troy to get into the bathroom. But as I went to go by him, he grabbed my arm and spun me towards him. I landed with my arms braced against his chest. He crushed his lips against mine, and I felt as though he was devouring me whole. A rush of lust shot through me. His hands dove into my hair, as he deepened the kiss. I moaned softly as his tongue invaded my mouth. I went to move my arms around his neck and pull him even closer to me but all of a sudden it was over. Troy turned his back and strode away from me.

I closed the bathroom door, leaned against it, and slid to the floor. I lifted my fingers and rested them softly against my still tingling lips.

Fuck Troy Bolton! All I could think of now, was the feeling of how perfectly our bodies had fit together.


End file.
